I have always enjoyed year-listing: it's often a great incentive to get out birding when old age or the weather are tempting you to stay in and watch 'Four in a Bed' (Other daytime shows are available!)
Just once I achieved the self-imposed target of 300 species in a year: this was back in 1991, when Linda and I went on our first Scillonian Pelagic together and made several long-distance twitches. These days I aim for 240 - 260 species: some of these will be seabirds and auks seen on trips to offshore colonies, others will be species only encountered in Wales or the West Country.
Eighteen months of C-19 restrictions have reduced the opportunities to see birds such as Cirl Bunting, Puffin, Dipper and so on and it looks like this year's total is likely to be just 200 or so. However, among these have been some amazing birds: none have been 'lifers', but several have been my best views of difficult species.
Of course: nil desperandum: it's possible that the Autumn might throw up some unexpected additions as well as white-winged gulls, auks and skuas. Fingers crossed!
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